Ecology or Ecoli??

Gold Member

I use a steamer to do my veg, but I don't put presh water in every time.. is this bad?

the water in the bottom never touches the veg and is boiled to steam before it comes anywhere near them, so I figure that it's only re-heating water over and over and that the boiling should kill any bugs..

Gold Member

ooooh I clean mine out every time and splash the bottom with vinegar -it stops the veg smell and the lime scale from building up - I just wipe it out and re-fill next time I use it.. -although I also empty my kettle and re-fill it every time too

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A lot of people worry about what they eat between Christmas and New Year...when they should really be worrying what they eat between New Year and Christmas!​

Silver Member

Yip I'm another one who always uses fresh water and for the kettle too. There was an article in New Scientist about how if you use the same water boiled twice for a cup of tea, the chemical changes to that water marr the subsequent cups dramatically

Silver Member

Full Member

Although I do have an electric steamer on a day to day basis I use my non-electric hob steamer. Cleaned and washed everytime. However, I always did empty the water - never occurred to me to re-use the water.

"If people think you're a witch, you might as well be one" - Granny Weatherwax

Gold Member

It makes no difference to coffee! Anyway, if there are any bacteria they'll most likely be killed by the boiling process, but that won't affect any toxins or spores that are released... It's never harmed me though!

:sign0007:Start - 13st 6lbs :sigh:

End- 8st 8lbs target moved to 8st 11

LOST 4STONE 12 lbs between January 6th 2010 & 30th March 2011!!!:bliss:

Silver Member

It might not do you any harm - depends on your constitution! - but I doubt if it is doing your steamer any good.

The steam rises through whatever is being cooked and falls back again as water when it has condensed. I don't see how it can do this without absorbing something from the vegetables. Left to sit in the water container of the steamer it could go slimy, or ferment - anyway, it is not likely to do the mechanism any good at all.

Gold Member

there is a drip tray on top of the water resevoir that catches the condensate so it doesn't go into the steam water..
I empty and wash that every time as if I don't, it does indeed go mouldy if left....

it's an electric steamer so the dishwasher isn't a good idea
it's also a pain to empty and wash out..
there's usually only about 1/2 inch of water left in the bottom after steaming the veg, and it's topped up to about 2 1/2 inches deep, so it's not all re-used water..

I'm hoping that re-using the water drives off the chlorine and fluorine that's in tap water.. any that's not taken out by the filter anyway..

Gold Member

Although I do have an electric steamer on a day to day basis I use my non-electric hob steamer. Cleaned and washed everytime. However, I always did empty the water - never occurred to me to re-use the water.